Kia supplier will create 350 new jobs

Powertech America, the company that will manufacture transmissions for the new cars, will build a new facility on the Kia site, it was announced Friday.

It will create 350 new jobs and $150 million in capital investment, Gov. Sonny Perdue's office said in a news release.

“Today’s announcement brings the total number of jobs planned by Kia and its suppliers to more than 6,200 and the total investment to more than $1.7 billion,” Perdue said. “Having the transmission plant locate on site with the assembly facility is a great win for Georgia.”

It is another in a series of victories since Kia announced the new facility and 2,500 new jobs more than two years ago. The South Korean automobile manufacturer's plant is being built on a 2,200-acre site along Interstate 85 about 5 miles from the Georgia-Alabama state line.

The Kia plant will begin mass production in November 2009.

Powertech America is a subsidiary of Hyundai Powertech is headquartered in Seosan, Korea. This will be Powertech’s first U.S. facility. The company has been a supplier to Kia and Hyundai since its formation in 2001.

The company will build a 213,000-square-foot facility and should begin in February 2010, Perdue's office said.

Never miss a local story.

Sign up today for unlimited digital access to our website, apps, the digital newspaper and more.